Much of the build-up to the game has focused on the Italian club gaining retribution for the defeat they suffered in Istanbul two years ago when Liverpool hit back from a 3-0 half-time deficit to win the game on a penalty shoot-out.

But Ancelotti believes a hot-headed approach in Athens would hinder his side's chances of claiming the trophy for a seventh time.

"I don't like to talk about avenging that defeat, we will play on Wednesday leaving behind us the memories of the past," he said.

"This is a different story. There are no secrets, we will have to impose our quality and our play if we wish to win."

Milan are the favourites going into the game and Ancelotti is looking for a similar performance to that which accounted for Manchester United in the two-legged semi-final.

"It is going to be a very balanced game against Liverpool," he added. "The pressure is there and we are dealing with it in the right way.

"We will have to manage the pressure in the same manner as we did in the semi-final against Manchester United."

There is plenty of talent and experience in the Milan ranks with Kaka, widely regarded as the best player in the world, lining up alongside six members of Italy's World Cup-winning squad.

Brazil playmaker Kaka is the top scorer in this season's Champions League with 10 goals and is likely to be the Rossoneri player Liverpool will have to stop.

Milan president Silvio Berlusconi believes the squad's ability will prove too much for Rafael Benitez's men.

"Milan will win in Athens," said Berlusconi. "We will win the title because we are superior in quality to our rivals."

The Italians have sold their allocation of 17,000 tickets and the club's vice-president Adriano Galliani has admitted they could have shifted a lot more.

"We had more than 70,000 requests for tickets, but we had to give priority to our season-ticket holders," he said.

However, there is concern that some fans will be unable to get to Athens in time as 400 flights are expected to be cancelled due to today's air traffic controllers' strike in Italy.